Stripper Tips: The Stripper Case, What to Pack

Don’t be the person backstage who is always borrowing tit tape, a safety pin, or a hair pin*, be prepared! I always keep a small travel case packed with the basics I need for a show, ready to go in to my suitcase at a moment’s notice. Here’s a list of those things below to help you build your own ready-to-go case.

My Stripper Case (c) Tuesday Laveau

1. Choose your case. I’m currently using a Contents by Allegro make-up case. It’s soft, but structured, opens wide so you can see what’s in it, is lined and has one big space as well as a few smaller pockets. Plus, it has unicorns and skulls printed on it, which is pretty awesome.

I’d also recommend anything by Caboodles. I’ve had one of their classic cases since I was 12 and it is indestructible.

Classic Black, White and Pink Caboodle. This one here has been back and forth across the Atlantic about 20 times. (c) Tuesday Laveau

2. Safety Pins. These guys will get you out of a multitude of jams. Busted seam? Put a pin in it! Broken bra strap? Put a pin in it! Broken shoe buckle? Put a pin in it! You get the idea. Carry half a dozen from teeny tiny ones to big sturdy ones.

Bonus Pro-Tip: Use your phone to take a photo of whatever part of your costume you repaired with a safety pin and email it to yourself. That way you’ll remember to repair it before your next show.

Show Savers!

3. Scissors. Again, a multitude of uses. Cut off stray threads, snip the gusset out of a fresh pair of fishnets, keep pervy promoters at bay.

Scissors: Keep ’em small & keep ’em sharp.

4. Hairpins/Bobby Pins. A basic. I prefer the sturdier, more expensive Goody ones to the Dollar/Pound Store ones.

Goody Hair Pins

5. Tit tape. Or your preferred adhesive. I’ve covered this before here. This seems to be the one that people forget to pack the most. If you always keep a roll in your case, you can’t forget it.

Always keep tit tape in your case. Always.

6. Moisturiser/Body Oil/Bronzer. Gets rid of chalky elbows, applied to a tissue it will correct make-up smudges and it gives number 7 on our list something to stick to.

7. Glitter! You knew this one was coming, right? Glitter makes everything better.

The quote Nasty Canasta, “Glitter is not the Herpes of Burlesque. Herpes is the Herpes of Burlesque.”

8. Spare tassels. I want to whisper this one, so I don’t make it come true. Although I’ve never needed them (fingers crossed) it makes sense to have a backup pair, just in case. They might not match your costume, but at least you won’t have do a Boston version or lose a bar it’s liquor license by going bare.

Turquoise, red and gold tassels by and (c) Tuesday Laveau

9. Gum. Stops you from being stinky if you’ve been travelling all day and stops dry mouth if you’re nervous, in costume and drinking too much water will mean a 15 minute hike across the theatre to the restroom.**

Gum! Gum everywhere!

10. Something for you. Something that is part of your backstage ritual, or a lucky charm, maybe even your favourite photo. I like to carry a bottle of Follow Me Boy.

So now you know what to pack in your Stripper Case, next person who asks me for a safety pin backstage gets poked!

* But by all means, be the person who kindly shares his or her supplies.